Stretching grocery dollars is important to us all, and we still want delicious meals. Doing both on a budget seems like “Mission Impossible”. They also can’t be simple to prepare, right? Oh… are YOU in for a surprise!   The past few months have been—in my life—a challenging opportunity for growth. Which means I’m hanging onto my sanity by my fingernails. Curve balls are great in the World Series baseball games. Not so in real life experiences. We’ve had a few serious curve balls recently, and I find, unfortunately…  I still need to feed my family. Go figure!  The following “basic” recipe lends itself well to three full meals for 4. Any leftovers from any of the meals can also be used for quick, cheap, heat-in-the-microwave lunches at work. To begin with, you’ll need a basic, NO COOK, sun dried tomato and onion sauce: 

NO COOK Sun Dried Tomato & Onion Sauce

• 1 pkg. Sun dried tomatoes (3 oz.)
• 2 heaping tablespoons dried, minced onion
• 1 rounded teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ cup Falcon Nest Cabernet Sauvignon
• ½ cup Falcon Nest Merlot
• ½ - 1 cup water

 Place tomatoes, minced onion and garlic salt in a clean, sterile, glass or plastic jar; add wine and enough water to just cover dried contents. Seal tightly with lid and place in your refrigerator for at least 24 hours (and up to one week).  

Transfer soaked tomatoes and diced onions—along with any remaining liquid—into an electric blender. Puree until smooth. Return to original jar and refrigerate until ready to use. Due to the alcohol in the wine (which acts as a preservative), the resulting sauce will keep refrigerated for up to one month.

Classic Spaghetti Dinner

• 2 ½ pounds ground beef, lamb or turkey
• No Cook Sun Dried Tomato & Onion Sauce
• 4 cups diced, fresh tomatoes OR 2 (two) 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
• 1 cup canned tomato sauce
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried, red pepper flakes
• 1 heaping tablespoon freshly chopped basil OR 1 t. dried basil
• 1 heaping teaspoon freshly chopped oregano OR ¼ t. dried oregano

 Brown the ground meat in a skillet over low heat until evenly cooked. Drain and transfer to a stockpot. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a low boil over medium heat, stir and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer (stirring occasionally) at low heat for approximately 10 minutes. Turn off heat and set-aside until serving. 

Cook and drain 2 pounds of spaghetti. Serve with above sauce, tossed, green salad and garlic bread.

Week Night “Lasagna” From Leftovers

• Left over, cooked spaghetti
• 2-3 cups low fat, cottage cheese
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup bottled Italian Dressing (any brand)
• Left over sauce from your spaghetti dinner
• Left over garlic bread from your spaghetti dinner

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9 X 11 baking dish with cooking oil spray. Arrange cooked spaghetti in bottom of prepared pan, evenly. Puree cottage cheese, eggs, and Italian dressing in an electric blender until smooth and creamy. Pour over pasta in the baking dish. Top with an even layer of left over sauce (approximately 3 cups). Break up left over garlic bread into a food processor and pulse until crumbed. Sprinkle over the above “lasagna”. Place in preheated oven and bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, or until bread crumbs have browned. Remove from oven and allow cooling for 10-15 minutes before serving.  

Note: I serve this with cooked green beans and a tossed, baby green salad. Also, this can be frozen for a few days prior to baking.

Quick & Easy Tortellini Dinner

• 24 oz. fresh or frozen, three cheese tortellini
• 3-4 cups left over sauce from your original spaghetti dinner
• 2 cups chopped, fresh spinach or arugala greens
• ½ cup sliced, pitted black olives (canned, drained)

 Cook the tortellini as per package instructions. Drain, and add remaining ingredients. Return to stove top burner at low heat and cook for two to three minutes, stirring or tossing to incorporate and evenly heat the sauce with the pasta. 

Serve with freshly steamed vegetables of your choice and a spinach or arugla salad. Gelato is a fine dessert with this meal, and rounds out the overall nutrition provided for less calories than ice cream or other desserts.

 There you go… three easy, delicious meals compliments of Falcon Nest wines and my kitchen experiments!  

Have you enjoyed browsing the farmer’s market or a road side fruit stand this summer? Many sense-sational fruits are reaching harvest times… among them, fresh figs! Before rolling your eyes or making an “icky” face, consider the words of Pliny (52-113 AD): “Figs increase the strength of young people, preserve the elderly in better health, and make them look younger with fewer wrinkles.”

I’ve no idea if Pliny was suggesting using mashed figs as a topical potion, although it’s doubtful. My bathroom counter is evidence I’ve tried a few anti-aging creams and lotions, most of which have burned my skin or caused a rash. Not pretty. As for figs? Well, I’ve always liked Fig Newtons, and so when I spotted some plump, fresh, darkly ripe Mission figs at the Avila & Son’s farmer’s market stand, I decided to see what I might be able to do with them.

The following recipe is seductively sweet. It’s also very, very easy to make with a few local ingredients.

Fig-Apple Spread With Pinot Noir

• 1 pound of fresh, ripe, dark figs, stems trimmed
• 1 large Granny Smith Apple, cored and sliced (peel on)
• 2/3 cup of Copper Creek Cellars 2005 Pinot Noir

Place the figs and apple in a food processor; pulse repeatedly to puree. Scrape the sides of the food processor if necessary, and continue to pulse until the mixture is evenly smooth, but not quite creamy. The texture should resemble applesauce. Carefully spoon out pureed fruit, transfering to a medium sized, glass bowl. Stir in Pinot Noir. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap. The fruit should soak in the wine for at least 3 hours at room temperature, or 8 hours in the refrigerator.

Your wine soaked fruit can be cooked up in a microwave oven, or transfered once again to a non stick pot and cooked on the stove top. If using a microwave, be sure to keep the bowl covered, heat on high, and remove from the microwave every minute or two to pull back the covering and stir. This prevents a messy boil over. It will take approximately 30 minutes of microwave cooking (not including stirring time) to achieve a thickened spread.

I prefer to cook up preserves on the stove top. If you choose to cook this way, bring the wine soaked fruit to a boil over medium heat, stirring regularly. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20- 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When ready, the mixture will have been reduced by about a third and be thickened. 

Spoon hot preserves into a clean, sterile, pint sized jar. Seal tightly and (using tongs) place jar into a boiling water bath for 2-3 minutes. Remove from “bath” and allow the jar of preserves to reach room temperature.

This makes a delicious, naturally sweet spread for toast, muffins, biscuits or rolls, and can also be used for a filling in many desserts.

Let me know if you see fewer wrinkles in the mirror!

Worried about food prices? I admit… I’m a serious “foodie”. Those of us who love great food and delectable wines may believe there’s an inherent cost to tempting our pampered palates, yet this truly isn’t the case. Another personal confession? I cook enough to feed a small army on most nights. It’s how I learned to cook, and it has been a struggle for quite some time. Having one son in college now, and another in high school, I rarely have leftovers enough to serve a second dinner. What I know to be true is the day is quickly coming when I’ll have to scale back on the number of portions I prepare every day (or night), and I’m frugal enough to appreciate getting the most bang for my bucks.

 A few quick tips will help you not only reduce your grocery bill while still eating very well AND (if you’re in a similar phase of life) transition from family meals to recipes for one or two…

• Freezer bags are your best friend~I’m serious here, as my local grocery store manager is excellent with getting me deep discount specials; buy meats and other items in bulk and freeze them immediately for future use.
• Buy the freshest ingredients possible at the lowest possible prices~these items can be stored if it’s not possible to use them immediately (see above and below).
• Save by purchasing wine in bulk~I regularly buy wines by the case, and it’s a tremendous savings to do so. As an aside? Bulk up your “gift stash” with bottles of wine and/or homemade goodies from the wines for last-minute, lower cost, special treats.
• Along the same lines, join a wine club for deep discounts on cases of last years’ wines; purchased twice per year (on average) it’s both affordable and a great savings.
• Plant a garden~I’m currently growing a number of herbs and vegetables for the freshest possible ingredients in culinary splurges. My local grocery manager (at Spencer’s Fresh Markets), regularly orders fresh herbs and lettuces that I can quickly tuck into my kitchen garden bed at two pony packs for $5. I get enough fresh ingredients to enjoy and share at far less than grocery store (or farmer’s market) prices.
• Stock up on reduced priced staples~canned goods, oatmeal, whole grains, nuts, meats and other storable items qualify here. I can make my own whole oat flour from quick cooking oats (on sale) for a fraction of the price simply because I can grind them myself.
• Have the necessary tools~see above: a food processor, blender, etc. are worth far more than their price tag when you consider the overall, weekly savings in your grocery bill.
• Learn to can~it isn’t that tough! By taking advantage of special pricing on in-season goods (and reduced price wines), you can spend one afternoon preparing enough home canned goods to last for several months or more. It’s a lot of bang for the buck, with very little extra effort.
• Bake your own bread from a sourdough starter~this tip has saved me quite a chunk of change. Nothing in the world is easier or more convenient than sourdough bread (see the blog with recipe), as the dough rises all day while you’re at work.
• Entertain at home~not only can you easily prepare gourmet-quality meals with scarce effort, but by employing the above tips, you can save quite a bit over restaurant prices when you cook and entertain at home. You’ll also save on gasoline costs by hosting a casual home dinner party!
• Give yourself permission to make mistakes~YES, this saves money overall. In the words of Gandhi, “Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote the freedom to err.” We all learn from our culinary mistakes, and we take those lessons into the next steps along the path of eating well on less.

Be sure to watch this blog for recipes using FRESH ingredients and CENTRAL COAST wines. Together we’ll eat (and drink) well on LE$$!

Spencer’s Fresh Food Market is roughly two blocks from my house… give or take a half block. A local supermarket is–in this day and age–irreplaceable because it’s the most efficient, convenient place to go for manager’s specials and other discount pricing when you know the staff. Get to know your grocer, and you’ll get to know when items are scheduled to be marked down, when prices are due to rise, and if (on those rare occasions) you need an order for an item or two not currently in stock. My own market provides better prices than any other local grocer as well as the farmer’s market for VERY fresh, locally grown produce and/or meats. I also stock up on organically grown, canned or frozen vegetables and fruits when on sale, and local meats at a deep discount. My advice? Get to know your local grocer!

 Here’s a simple, quick, inexpensive recipe for a satisfying main dish (with wine, of course) for your dinner enjoyment:

•  1 + 1/2 cup Chardonnay wine
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 can condensed, cream of chicken soup
• 4 cups diced, cooked, boneless chicken
• 2 16 ounce packages frozen vegetable mix for stew
• 1 16 ounce package frozen, cut green beans (or equivalent fresh green beans)
• 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon minced, fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup plain, nonfat yogurt

Place wine, broth, and diced chicken into a large stock pot and heat over low burner until the mixture just begins to bubble. Add canned cream of mushroom soup and frozen vegetables; stir well Simmer, covered,  over low heat for approximately 15 - 25 minutes until vegetables have softened. Carefully stir in minced garlic, thyme and yogurt. Cook over very low heat for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly. Turn off burner, cover and allow to stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

 Makes up to 10 servings (can be stored for future lunches), and is excellent with salad and a slice of bread. Consider fresh berries or other fruit for dessert.

Recently, my local grocer marked down ground sirloin for a manager’s special, so I (wisely) stocked up. Grilling season is upon us: sirloin is rarely cheap. Given my budget and my frugal tendencies, extending the meat becomes important to me. Below is a marvelous burger recipe using ground sirloin with Falcon Nest Syrah, which is tasty as well as heart-healthy! As an aside, this recipe can also be used for cocktail party meatballs.

Summertime Savory Sirloin & Syrah Burgers

3 ½ - 4 lbs. Ground sirloin or extra lean ground beef

3 cups fresh bread crumbs (I use crumbs from my sourdough bread)

¼ cup Falcon Nest Syrah

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

2 fresh eggs

Small bunch of fresh basil to taste

1 teaspoon Kansas City Steak Seasoning

1 teaspoon coarsely ground, black pepper

Place ground beef and bread crumbs into a large mixing bowl. Pour Falcon Nest Syrah, soy sauce, garlic, mayonnaise and fresh eggs into blender; pulse to combine. Add seasonings and blend well. Pour over beef and breadcrumbs in mixing bowl, and combine well until thoroughly mixed. Cover mixing bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour—or up to 12 hours—so flavors will saturate and the bread crumbs will become re-hydrated.

Remove from refrigerator and form into burger patties. Grill immediately or wrap and freeze for future use. Burgers should be grilled until well done. Makes approximately 12 1/3 pound or 16 ¼ pound burgers.

Author’s note: I like to serve our burgers with coleslaw, baby green salad and fresh fruit. A glass of Falcon Nest Syrah is nice, too!

The past few weeks have been spent planting a kitchen and herb bed in our front yard–with rising costs of fresh produce, our modest garden should pay for itself this year. I’ve discovered a few money saving ideas as well. For example, our local market sells cellophane packages of dried chili peppers (many different varieties), in the specialty foods aisle for as little as sixty nine cents per package. Snap open the dried pods, and you’ll have enough seeds to plant several bumper crops. Most sun dried tomatoes also have seeds, and tomato plants themselves can be bought inexpensively this time of year. I go through a lot of tomatoes, lettuce and herbs, so I look for single gallon pots with enough individual plants per pot to be divided into thirds before planting the young tomatoes or herbs into the soil. Many herbs such as basil and cilantro sprout easily from seeds directly sown in the garden.

With that thought in mind, there’s nothing more cost-effective than an active, sourdough bread starter. Lest you feel it’s too time consuming or complicated, the beauty of sourdough is the fact it does take time to rise. Meaning you can prepare your dough and go about other things without being tied to the kitchen as the bread rises. Sourdough starters are very simple to make with a few ingredients and a bit of patience. Below is a favorite in our household:

Cayucos Cellars Sourdough Starter

1 cup very warm (not hot) water

½ cup unbleached bread flour

½ cup stone ground, whole wheat bread flour

2 tablespoons Cayucos Cellars 2003 Cabernet (or other Cayucos Cellars wine)

Note: Cayucos Cellars wine is recommended, because the Selkirk family uses only naturally occurring, local yeast on the grapes to make their wines—no added yeast is used—and the natural, local yeast makes a fantastic sourdough starter.

Wisk all ingredients in a glass measuring cup until smooth. Transfer to a clean, sterile jar, cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, but no longer than 3 days before the first “feeding”. Be sure to “feed” this starter once before using to make a loaf of bread.

To feed starter, combine:

1 cup very warm (not hot) water

¼ cup unbleached bread flour

¼ cup stone ground, whole wheat bread flour

Again, stir your ingredients in a glass measuring cup until smooth; add to the starter. Return the starter to the refrigerator for an additional 24 to 48 hours. Every third feeding, add one tablespoon of wine. Be sure to use or feed your starter (once established) at least twice a week to keep it active and fresh.

Sourdough Bread Recipe

2 cups unbleached bread flour

1-cup stone ground whole wheat bread flour

1-teaspoon sea salt (or table salt)

1-cup sourdough starter

½ cup warm water

1-tablespoon canola or olive oil

Using a bread machine or your own hands, knead together all ingredients until dough is smooth and elastic. The texture should be that of a baby’s bottom, so add flour or warm water as necessary to achieve this consistency. Allow dough to rest for at least 15 minutes and up to one hour. Knead again, working in a small amount of unbleached bread flour to keep the dough from becoming too sticky.  Shape and place in a prepared loaf pan or onto a prepared cookie sheet—simple sprits of cooking oil spray is the only preparation needed. Allow the bread to almost double in size (which takes several hours at room temperature, or all night/day in the refrigerator).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place loaf pan or cookie sheet on center rack in your preheated oven and bake at 375 degrees for approximately 30-35 minutes. Bread will continue to rise during baking, and when done will have a lightly browned surface. Transfer immediately to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes before wrapping or serving.

Makes one standard sized loaf of bread or a dozen rolls, which will keep, wrapped, for a few days at room temperature.

Have company? Need something on hand that’s easy, unique, tasty and memorable? Try Cab-Apple Butter with Cab-Apple Light Wheat Bread made from Cayucos Cellars 2003 Cabernet. Before you say only those who are alcoholics or otherwise not-quite-mainstream would serve wine for breakfast, it’s important to note that when cooking with wine, sustained heat over a period of time gets rid of all the alcohol in the food. In other words, no alcohol remains. This leaves behind only natural flavors and anti-oxidants of the fruit. The following recipes might convince you to give wine for breakfast a try:

Cab-Apple Butter

*Note: I buy my half pound packages of natural apple rings from Avila & Sons Farms, but any variety will do.

Soak the above ingredients in a glass bowl covered with plastic wrap for several hours or overnight. The dehydrated apple rings should be plump and rehydrated when ready; some liquid will remain.

In batches, spoon apple rings and remaining liquid into a blender or food processor and blend until very smooth. Transfer to a nonstick pot and bring to a low boil over medium low heat on your stovetop, stirring occasionally. Once the liquid begins to bubble, thoroughly stir in 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon and continue to boil over low heat for at least 10 minutes. Add unsweetened apple juice or water 1/4 cup at a time if the mixture becomes too thick too quickly. Total cooking time should be just over 15 minutes.

Prepare jars as mentioned in earlier blogs. Spoon spiced fruit butter into clean, sterile jars and seal tightly. As mentioned in earlier posts, give your well-sealed jars a bath in boiling water. Allow to reach room temperature before serving or storing. Opened jars should be refrigerated and used as soon as possible. Makes approximately 6 cups of Cab-Apple Butter.

Cab-Apple Light Wheat Bread

In a medium sized bowl, blend together flours and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut in softened margarine or butter until a slightly crumbly, dry mixture results. Spoon mixture into a bread machine or larger bowl.

Dissolve the package of active, dry yeast in warm water and Cap-Apple Butter, stirring until dissolved. Set aside and allow to activate for 2-3 minutes. Pour over flour mixture. If using a bread machine, program bread machine to wheat bread setting and start.

If making bread the old-fashioned way, knead mixture well until smooth and elastic, cover and set aside for ten minutes. Knead well once more and shape into a loaf. Place shaped dough into a loaf pan lightly coated with cooking oil spray and allow to rise until doubled in size (40-50 minutes, depending on room temperature).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake prepared loaf in 375 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes or until evenly browned. Remove from oven, transfer to cooling rack and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving or wrapping. Makes one average sized loaf of lightly spiced, soft textured wheat bread, which is best enjoyed within a day or two. You may also freeze the bread for future breakfasts.

As an alternative, this recipe makes about one dozen Cab-Apple rolls by dividing the dough into sections and placing into lightly oiled muffin cups before the final rise. Rolls bake at 375 degrees for approximately 20 minutes. Whichever form you decide, a delicious, slightly sweet, aromatic breakfast awaits your guests! Yum!

Lest anyone think all I do is cook up preserves, it might  be useful to give some background on how versatile those jars can be. In spite of the cooking I do (and have done for years), preserves used to seem intimidating. Then diabetes hit a member of my immediate family. I was surprised to realize how much sugar is in everything, including salad dressing. Having cooked with wine over the decades, I began playing around with wines and fruit. First of all, I discovered soaking fruits or dried fruits in wine means little or no sugar is required for some very tasty treats. Then I started playing around with those little jars. My last blog included a recipe for Curried California Fruit Mince–this makes a very tasty dressing with a few additions and amazingly little time. The recipe for a full meal salad with dressing follows:

Curried California Fruit Dressing is a fast, easy recipe anyone can whip up in less than three minutes. You’ll need a blender.

Place all ingredients in your blender and liquify. Store in a clean, airtight jar in the refrigerator or serve immediately.

Sensational Syrah Salad is a meal in and of itself. To prepare, soak 3 ounces packaged, sundried tomatoes in 1/2 cup Falcon Nest 2003 Syrah.

It takes several hours for sundried tomatoes to rehydrate unless boiled, so you can begin soaking these in the wine in a clean jar first thing in the morning. I keep mine in the refrigerator. When dinner time rolls around, drain the sundried tomatoes (reserving the liquid for a later recipe), and in a large bowl, place the following:

*Note: my local grocer will confirm that I buy copious amounts of Babe Farms Continental Salad blend, though any organic baby salad greens will do.

Add dressing, toss lightly and serve with a glass of Falcon Nest 2003 Syrah (if possible) for a heart healthy, light meal. This recipe is enough to serve 4-6 people, depending on appetite. I bake bread nearly every day of my life and have an active sourdough starter… this salad is great with a slice or two of sourdough bread.

Have I mentioned dancing? Dance is terrific, fun exercise. I’ve an exercise bike gathering dust & rust in my garage plus a treadmill in my living room that’s very handy for stacking things on. Trust me, I understand how challenging it can be… life should be truly enjoyed, so eat great tasting food and dance!

Looking for something special to try? Falcon Nest Winery in east Paso Robles hosts a themed dinner party every month–March was an Italian Dinner dance, and April will be a Turkish theme. The April event will be complete with a professional belly dancer! This is particularly exciting to me, as one of my books (Every Child is a Genius) was translated into several languages and sold worldwide, with the most popular translation being… you guessed it… Turkish! So I started playing around with Falcon Nest’s 2003 Syrah. The recipe below is for Curried California Fruit Mince, which is very easy to prepare; the amount of curry spice can be increased or decreased to suit your taste.

*Note: I like Avila & Sons Farms Fruit Medley, which is available at our local Farmer’s Market or by contacting them at 13391 Fargo Avenue, Hanford, California, 93230. You can also call them at (559) 584-7156 or use the link.

Soak the diced, dried fruits for several hours or overnight in the juice, wine and water. I like to use a large, clean jar with a lid or a glass bowl covered with plastic wrap. Once the fruits have hydrated in the liquid, transfer the entire mixture to a large, nonstick pot, and begin heating to a low boil over medium low heat.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, blend the following:

Pour the blended sugar and spices over the heated fruit, stir, and continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. The fruit should become thick as it gently boils.

Meanwhile, prepare clean jars as described in my first blog. Spoon the fruit into clean, sterile jars, sealing tightly. Place well-sealed jars into a bath of boiling water for a few minutes (using tongs), place on clean towels or a cooling rack on the counter and allow to reach room temperature. This makes about six cups of mince, which will keep unopened in the pantry for several months.

It’s excellent spooned into store bought, bite sized pastry cups as a sweet & spicy party nibble, or served on the side with roasted lamb, chicken or pork.

As for belly dancing? I’m brushing up my skills with an instructional DVD, but I’ll leave it up to you if you want to give that a try. Hey, it’s great exercise and a fun way for me to work off some of my belly… not that I’m admitting to having one, of course.

This is my first-ever blog… let’s see how it goes! The central coast of California has unique wines, foods and a lifestyle that lends itself to playing around with fresh ingredients in new ways, so if you’re a serious (or semi-serious) foodie, it can be heaven. I like to play with my food; I’ve been cooking for three decades now. Nearly every day I try to whip up something inventive in the kitchen.

Enough about me, though, let’s move on to food and wine! I’ve discovered some fantastic ways of using our local wines that break the rules–like “Punched Up Pineapple Salsa” made with Cayucos Cellars 2001 Zinfandel, which is unbelievably tasty on fish tacos. You can’t serve fish with red wine? Oh, yes you can! And the recipe is incredibly simple:

Soak those first ingredients in a covered glass bowl or jar in your refrigerator overnight or for 24 hours. After soaking, add the following:

Soak for an additional 8-24 hours. Spoon soaked mixture into a large mixing bowl. To this mixture, add:

Combine well, cover and store at room temperature while you prepare jars for canning. This is quite simple, actually (yes, it is!). Boil a few large pots of water on the stove. Dip clean jars and lids into boiling water using tongs, remove, set on clean towels or paper towels to drain. Spoon the salsa into the jars, seal tightly and return the well-sealed jars to boiling water (again using tongs). Boil for no more than five minutes, remove jars from boiling water and place hot jars on cooling rack to reach room temperature. You’ll have eight one cup jars of very tasty salsa to serve within one month. Refrigerate jars after opening, and eat within a week of opening for best flavor.

Watch for more recipes using California’s central coast wines, which I’ll post as often as possible. May I suggest cranking up the stereo to dance in the kitchen while you cook? It’s a favorite pastime of my own, and a side benefit is it has my sons (ages 20 and 15) rolling their eyes and shaking their heads regularly.

Happy Cooking!